J'maine Hopgood is the surprise early leader at the head of Zero Tackle's NRL MVP after two rounds, claiming 34 of a possible 40 votes to date despite being on the losing side in both games.
The Eels have had anything but an ideal start to the season, but Hopgood has been something of a revelation in the number 13 jersey, putting up huge numbers in both games he has played to date.
Round 2 saw him unanimously gain four votes from all four judges, only sitting behind William Kennedy.
Round 2 was a weekend of unanimous man of the matches, with four of the eight games having the same player voted as best on ground by all four judges.
Payne Haas' big effort for a second week in a row against the Cowboys - albeit not man of the match - sees him take up second spot on the leaderboard, just a point behind Hopgood, with the duo holding a big lead to the remainder of the competition.
Here are all the votes from Round 2.
In what was a tight clash all the way, the Panthers managed to pick up their first win of the season over the South Sydney Rabbitohs, with Stephen Crichton and Isaah Yeo the stars of the show for the men from the foot of the mountain. Luke Garner also had an excellent game in Penrith colours.
| Matt Clements | Scott Pryde | Dan Nichols | Jack Blyth | |
| 5 | Stephen Crichton | Isaah Yeo | Stephen Crichton | Stephen Crichton |
| 4 | Isaah Yeo | Stephen Crichton | Isaah Yeo | Luke Garner |
| 3 | Luke Garner | Luke Garner | Brian To'o | Isaah Yeo |
| 2 | Brian To'o | Brian To'o | Keaon Koloamatangi | Keaon Koloamatangi |
| 1 | Keaon Koloamatangi | Keaon Koloamatangi | Luke Garner | Brian To'o |
A high-scoring affair began Friday night's fare of rugby league, with the Cronulla Sharks managing to put away the Parramatta Eels by four points. A hat-trick from William Kennedy has him at the top of the voting list for all judges, while J'maine Hopgood's noted performance has him securing plenty of votes.
| Matt Clements | Scott Pryde | Dan Nichols | Jack Blyth | |
| 5 | William Kennedy | William Kennedy | William Kennedy | William Kennedy |
| 4 | J'maine Hopgood | J'maine Hopgood | J'maine Hopgood | J'maine Hopgood |
| 3 | Briton Nikora | Briton Nikora | Braydon Trindall | Briton Nikora |
| 2 | Dale Finucane | Dylan Brown | Maika Sivo | Mitchell Moses |
| 1 | Maika Sivo | Dale Finucane | Matt Moylan | Dale Finucane |
In what has fast become one of the NRL's best rivalries, the Brisbane Broncos were able to knock over the Cowboys on Friday evening at home, with Reece Walsh's first game for the club being the key talking point. Herbie Farnworth was at his best for a second straight weeks, while Payne Haas, Exra Mam and Patrick Carrigan were all excellent.
| Matt Clements | Scott Pryde | Dan Nichols | Jack Blyth | |
| 5 | Reece Walsh | Reece Walsh | Reece Walsh | Reece Walsh |
| 4 | Payne Haas | Herbie Farnworth | Payne Haas | Ezra Mam |
| 3 | Ezra Mam | Payne Haas | Ezra Mam | Payne Haas |
| 2 | Herbie Farnworth | Ezra Mam | Herbie Farnworth | Jeremiah Nanai |
| 1 | Patrick Carrigan | Patrick Carrigan | Patrick Carrigan | Patrick Carrigan |
The Sydney Roosters have hardly started the season strongly, and looked clunky in beating the Warriors, but James Tedesco and Sam Walker were enough to get the tri-colours over the line on the back of a forward pack led by Lindsay Collins that did enough damage to win the contest in the middle third.
| Matt Clements | Scott Pryde | Dan Nichols | Jack Blyth | |
| 5 | James Tedesco | James Tedesco | Sam Walker | James Tedesco |
| 4 | Joseph Suaalii | Sam Walker | Joseph Suaalii | Lindsay Collins |
| 3 | Tohu Harris | Joseph Suaalii | Lindsay Collins | Sam Walker |
| 2 | Lindsay Collins | Lindsay Collins | Tohu Harris | Wayde Egan |
| 1 | Jaxson Paulo | Wayde Egan | Wayde Egan | Tohu Harris |
The Dolphins were never expected for greatness in 2023, but two wins from two games to start the campaign has Wayne Bennett's side humming. They knocked over the Canberra Raiders on the weekend, with the green machine struggling to get into the game outside of Joseph Tapine's performance, while Tom Gilbert and Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow were best on ground for the Dolphins.
| Matt Clements | Scott Pryde | Dan Nichols | Jack Blyth | |
| 5 | Tom Gilbert | Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow | Tom Gilbert | Tom Gilbert |
| 4 | Joseph Tapine | Tom Gilbert | Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow | Sean O'Sullivan |
| 3 | Sean O'Sullivan | Sean O'Sullivan | Sean O'Sullivan | Jack Wighton |
| 2 | Mark Nicholls | Joseph Tapine | Joseph Tapine | Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow |
| 1 | Felise Kaufusi | Mark Nicholls | Felise Kaufusi | Felise Kaufusi |
Jacob Kiraz continues to take his young career from strength to strength for the Bulldogs, and a man of the match performance against the Melbourne Storm is never a bad way to have people sit up and take notice. In what was a surprise away win for the blue and white, Kiraz, Max King and young gun Jacob Preston were the best.
| Matt Clements | Scott Pryde | Dan Nichols | Jack Blyth | |
| 5 | Jacob Kiraz | Jacob Kiraz | Jacob Kiraz | Jacob Kiraz |
| 4 | Max King | Max King | Jacob Preston | Jacob Preston |
| 3 | Jacob Preston | Jacob Preston | Max King | Jahrome Hughes |
| 2 | Jake Averillo | Jahrome Hughes | Jahrome Hughes | Max King |
| 1 | Jahrome Hughes | Jake Averillo | Eliesa Katoa | Nelson Asofa-Solomona |
In a game that many won't want to remember, the Knights and Tigers played out a dour affair on Sunday afternoon, with Englishman Dominic Young and fellow outside back Dane Gagai the best for the Knights, while Lachlan Miller also had a superb game in the number one jumper.
| Matt Clements | Scott Pryde | Dan Nichols | Jack Blyth | |
| 5 | Dominic Young | Dominic Young | Leo Thompson | Dominic Young |
| 4 | Dane Gagai | Dane Gagai | Dominic Young | Leo Thompson |
| 3 | Lachlan Miller | Lachlan Miller | Daine Laurie | Dane Gagai |
| 2 | Daine Laurie | Daine Laurie | Lachlan Fitzgibbon | Lachlan Miller |
| 1 | Alex Twal | Lachlan Fitzgibbon | Dane Gagai | Alex Twal |
The Dragons looked horrid for the first 20 minutes against the Titans, but eventually came good and ran away with the win in their first game of the season. Ben Hunt and Tyrell Sloan were among the best for the Red V, while Blake Lawrie led the forward pack in a role he will have to play for most of the season.
| Matt Clements | Scott Pryde | Dan Nichols | Jack Blyth | |
| 5 | Ben Hunt | Ben Hunt | Tyrell Sloan | Tyrell Sloan |
| 4 | Mikaele Ravalawa | Tyrell Sloan | Mikaele Ravalawa | Ben Hunt |
| 3 | Blake Lawrie | Mikaele Ravalawa | Blake Lawrie | Mikaele Ravalawa |
| 2 | Tyrell Sloan | Jacob Liddle | Ben Hunt | Blake Lawrie |
| 1 | Jacob Liddle | Blake Lawrie | Jack Bird | Jack Bird |
| 1 | J'maine Hopgood | 16 | 34 |
| 2 | Payne Haas | 14 | 33 |
| 3 | Herbie Farnworth | 8 | 24 |
| 4 | Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow | 11 | 23 |
| 5 | Tohu Harris | 6 | 22 |
| 6 | David Fifita | 0 | 20 |
| 6 | Daly Cherry-Evans | 0 | 20 |
| 6 | Reuben Cotter | 0 | 20 |
| 6 | Felise Kaufusi | 3 | 20 |
| 6 | Reece Walsh | 20 | 20 |
| 6 | Jacob Kiraz | 20 | 20 |
| 6 | William Kennedy | 20 | 20 |